Burkina Faso expects ‘different’ tie against Mali

Burkina Faso head coach Hubert Velud believes the Stallions are in for a tough evening when they face Mali in a crucial Round of 16 tie at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, with the game set to commence at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium on Tuesday night.

Mali head into their next game on the back of a 0-0 draw against Namibia, as Brave Warriors coach Collin Benjamin conducted a defensive masterclass against Eric Chelle at Stade Laurent Pokou on the 24th of January. The stalemate saw Mali top Group E ahead of their Round of 16 qualification.

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Burkina Faso on the other hand finished second in Group D after their 2-0 defeat against Angola at Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro on the 23rd of January. The Stallions claimed a 1-0 win over Mauritania in their opening game at the tournament, while a 2-2 draw against Algeria saw them accumulate enough points to advance to the Round of 16.

Both Mali and Burkina Faso reported no injury concerns ahead of their all-important Round of 16 clash in Korhogo and are expected to field their strongest starting XIs.

“We needed a turnover and a change of system because I saw a lot of fatigue in my players so I had to deal with all that,” Mali coach Eric Chelle said after his side’s 0-0 draw with Namibia.